What is the 5 minute brief intervention slot?
There are situations when an Accurx update for a patient is not appropriate, but a full phone appointment slot is also not required. The 5 minute brief intervention slot is a short phone call that fills this gap. It is an opportunity for the GP to have a brief discussion about a straightforward issue, whilst saving valuable appointment time.
Some examples of the use of such slots include (not an exhaustive list):
- verbal communication of simple blood test results
- investigation results to conclude a clinical episode
- verbal communication of next steps in clinical management between consecutive, more complex appointments
- discussion of outpatient clinical letter content
- discussion of onward referrals
Lead GPs are expected to support the use of these slots and provide quality assurance at a site specific level.
How are these slots booked?
The slots are decided by the GP only. The GP may book the slots themselves or task reception to arrange one.
- When tasking reception → clearly specify ‘5 minute brief intervention GP appointment slot’.
- When tasking other teams regarding this type of appointment → ensure that the type of slot and booking is succinctly described within the task
- Combining slots: appointment slots may, on occasion, be combined if clinically indicated.
- Empty slots: if a slot remains empty 24 hours or less before it’s scheduled time, it can be converted to same-day use by reception leads.
Also within the 24 hour timeframe → if only one of the three slots allotted in a day is used, reception leads may merge the remaining two into a standard telephone appointment.
Communicating intention to the patient
The patient should be clearly informed of the nature of the slot throughout the process.
Some ways to deliver this message:
- at point of booking → written in an Accurx template and then reiterated to the patient when booking the appointment.
- at the start of the appointment → clinician briefly reminds patient of time constraints and how this differs from a traditional phone appointment.